Apparatus for treating canned liquids



May 31, 1938. w. PAGE r-:T AL

` APPARATUS FQOR TREATINQ CANNED LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 original Filed sept. 6, 1935 May 3l, 1938. w. PAGE ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR TREATIWNG CANNED LIQ'UIDS n Original Filed Sept. 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT 0 NEYS Patented May 31, 1938 APPARATUS Fon TREATING LIQUIDs c CANNE Walter Page, Scarsdale, and Burt E. Taylor, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignors to The Borden Company, New York, N. Y.,

. New Jersey a corporation of Original application September 6, 1935, Serial No. 39,432. Divided and this application October 15, 1936,Serial No; 105,837

'3 claims. (ci. 12s-2v2) The invention relates to Van improvement in apparatus for treating canned liquids, and is more particularly an improvement in sterilizing or pasteurizing and then cooling preserved milk such as unsweetened, evaporated and condensed milk as distinguished `from sweetened, evaporated or condensed milk, and other fluids preserved in the usual cylindrical tin cans, or cans of other shapes. The invention is also applicable to the treatment of raw fresh milk and other fluids such as fruit juices enclosed in cans and intended for early consumption after the canning and sterilizing or pasteurizing treatment. Although the `invention is applicable to: these various uses, for` the sake of convenience it Will be described in connection with the sterilizing of canned `evaporated milk and the pasteurizing of canned raw milk, since these two processes are substantially identical, except in the temperatures employed and theI length of time of the treatment.

This application is va division of our copending application filed September 6,v 1935, Serial No. 39,432.

Evaporated milk is usually enclosedin tinlined cylindrical cans before it is sterilized. The process of sterilizing the evaporated milk must therefore be effected through the walls of the tin-lined metal can, so that a cooked flavor is often imparted to the milk which is found unpleasant by'many people and prevents a more extensive sale and use of this convenient form of milk. Moreover, since the sterilizing heat is applied externally of the can it is obvious that the milk in the center of the cans does not receive the same heat treatment' as that portion of the 4milk which contacts with or is near the inner surfaces of the cans, with the result that there is nonuniformity of taste, texture and color. Sometimes too that portion of the milk in contact with the inner surfaces of the metal Walls of the cans absorbs a part of the tin coating of the'cans. A slight metallic flavor is thus imparted to" the milk, which is objectionable to some people.

In view of these conditions in the usual commercial methods of sterilizng canned evaporated milk, efforts have long been directed to agitating the cans during the sterilizing treatment in order to bring all portions of the contents of the cans into contact successively with the inner surfaces of the cans in order that the heat treatment thereof and the resulting sterilization may be uniform so as to produce a product of uniform texture and color-and having as' nearly as possible the taste of natural milk.` These efforts have heretofore, however, not been crowned with complete success. The evaporated milk treated by the present commercial sterilizing methods can, when mixed with Water to restore the milk to its normal fluidity, still be distinguished from raw or natural milk because of its cooked flavor and other indications of the methods employed in sterilizing it. A

One object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for sterilizing evaporated milk and pasteurizing raw milk enclosed in containers so that the full natural flavor of the milk will be retained and no cookedv or metallic taste will be imparted to the milk. In carrying out thel method of sterilizing evaporated milk and pasteurizing raw milk to be practiced in the improved apparatus, the milk enclosed in the containers is violently agitated, as by causing it to f move rapidly centrifugally and endwise in the containers. This combined action is effected by rotating the containers on their longitudinal axes and preferably simultaneously reciprocating them, thereby constantly bringing fresh portions of the milk into contact with the inner surfaces of the containers. It will be understood in this connection that the walls of the containers will travel at a higher rate of speed than the liquid confined thereby, and so result in a constant shifting of the milk in the containers. Periodically the direction of rotation of the containers is suddenly reversed so as to secure a more intimate mixing of the contents of the containers and thereby more efllciently successively bring fresh portions thereof into contact with the inner surfaces of the containers. This action is further made more effective by reciprocating the containers during the rotation thereof. Since all portions of the milk or other liquid enclosed in the containers is constantly being brought into contact With and then immediately afterwards moved out of contact with the inner surfaces of the containers, it will be understood that higher sterilizing and pasteurizing temperatures can be employed without liability of cooking the-solid contents of the liquid in contact with the walls of the containers, and also that the time heretofore required for sterilizing and pasteurizing can 'be substantially reduced.

larged scale; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one of the cylindrical containers held in position in the perforated drum, but with the hinged section of the drum thrown back so that the container may be placed therein for treatment and afterwards removed therefrom.

The sterilizing and pasteurizing apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprises essentially two parts, a stationary longitudinally-arranged cylindrical shell or chamber 5, and a cylindrical can-holding drum 6 located axially within the chamber 5 and arranged to rotate and move axially Within the chamber. The chamber 5 is supported by the standards 1 the upper ends of which are semi-circular in shape in order to closely embrace the lower portion of the cylindrioal chamber, as shown in Fig. 3. One end of the chamber is closed by the head 8 and the other end is closed by a disk-like door or cover 9 removably secured to the flange-like portion I0 of the chamber by means of the hinged bolts II. The inner side of the cover 9 is provided with a circular rib I2 which presses against a circular gasket I3 in the flange.

The fluid medium for treating the contents of the cans held in the drum 6 enters the interlor of the chamber 5 through the holes I4 in the top side thereof which aline with the holes I5 in the lower side of a pipe I6 secured longitudinally along the top of the outer surface of the chamber. 'I'he sterilizing and pasteurizing is preferably effected by steam which enters the pipe I6 from the valve controlled pipe I1 provided with a gage I8. 'Ihe condensate gathering in the bottom of the chamber 5 passes into the valve-controlled pipe I9. Upon the completion of the sterilizing or the pasteurizlng operation, the valve 2I in the pipe I1 is closed, and the valve 22 in the pipe 23 is opened to permit cold water or other cooling medium to pass through the chamber 5 and out through the pipe I9 in order to bring the temperature of the contents of the cans in the drum 6 to the desired degree. 'I'he chamber 5 is provided with the thermometer 24 in the lower part thereof to indicate the temperature of the condensate and water.

The cylindrical shell of the drum 6 is pierced throughout its entire cylindrical portion with the holes or perforations 25 to permit the treating uid to have access directly to the outer surfaces of the series of cans 26 held in the drum. One end of the drum is closed by the head 21 provided wih the trunnion 28 which is journalled in the b-oss 29 extending axially outwardly from the chamber head or cover 9 and closed at its outer end. The other end of the drum 6 is closed by the head 3l provided with the elongated trunnion 32 which is received within a sleeve 33 journalled in the bearing 34 secured tothe head 8 of the chamber 5. Leakage between the sleeve 33 and bearing 34 is prevented by a gland 35 of usual arrangement. The outer end ofA the trunnion 32 is secured to the sleeve 33 by means of a bolt 31 so that rotary and reciprocatory movements may be imparted to the drum 6. The drum is rotated by means of a gear 38 moimted on the outer end of the shaft 39 supported in the uprights'40. On the shaft 39- lis mounted an elongated pinion 42 which engages with and drives a gear 43 fixed on the outer solid end of the sleeve 33. The gear 38 is driven by a pinion 4I actuated by a reversing motor of conventional type, generally indicated by the reference numeral 44. The reciprocatory or shaking movements are imparted -to the drum 6 by means of a crank construction 45, the crank rod 46 of which is provided on its outer end with a ball 41 which is held against the recess-outer end of the solid portion of the sleeve 33 by means of a threaded cap 48. The elongated pinion 42 permits the gear 43 to travel longitudinally under the action of the crank 45 while rotating the drum 6. To avoid the compression of air in the bearing portion 29 of the cover 9 of the chamber 5 a passageway 49 leads from the closed outer end of the bearing 29 into the interior of the chamber 5.

In order that the sterilizing and pasteurizing treatment of the milk or other liquid contained in the cans 26 may be most efiiciently performed, it is necessary that there.be no lag or lost motion between the cans and the drum 6, in other words, that the cans be positively held and driven by the drum. To this end the inner surfaces of the drum at uniform intervals, depending upon the length of the cans under treatment, are provided with the wedge-shaped pieces 5I which point radially inwardly and are arranged to press against the rims of the ends of the cans, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The wedge-shaped can-holding pieces 5I are conveniently arranged in groups of three throughout the length of the apparatus which can be constructed to hold any convenient number of cans arranged axially in a single line, depending upon mechanical considerations and upon the diameter of the cans. 'Ihe cans are placed in the drum 6 when the CII latter is removed from the chamber 5 and the hinged section 52 is swung outwardly on its hinge 53, as shown in Fig. 4. When the section 54 of the drum has been filled to capacity with cans the section 52 thereof is closed down on the cans and the two sections are held together by the spring bolts 56. It will be observed that the section 54 of the drum is provided with two wedge-shaped pieces 5I and that the section 52 of the drum is provided with a single wedgeshaped piece 5I, which when the section 52 is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 3, is located radially half-way between the two wedge-shaped pieces 5I in the drum section 54 which initially receive the cans (while the drum is in charged position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 3) and hold them in position until the wedge-shaped piece 5I of the drum section 52 is brought down against the upper edges of the ends of the cans to hold them firmly during the rotating and axial movements thereof.

The inner end of the drum 6 is provided with two wheels 58 which are arranged to travel on the tracks 59 located in the bottom of the chamber 5 when the drum 6 is moved into and withdrawn from the chamber 5. By reference to` Fig. 2, it will be observed that when the drum 6 is in operative position within the chamber 5 the wheels 58 clear the inner ends of the tracks 59 so as not to interfere with the rotation of the drum at any axial position within the chamber 5. 'Ihe bolt 31 is so arranged with relation to the wheels 58 that when it is in Vertical position the Wheels 58 aline with the tracks 59, thereby facilitating the withdrawal of the drum 6 from the chamber 5 when the bolt 31 is disconnected from the trunnion 32 and sleeve 33 and the cover 9 removed from the outer end of the chamber 5. The reassemblage of the various parts of the apparatus is easily effected, because when the wheels 58 are placed on the tracks 59 in inserting the drum into the chamber 5 the holes in the trunnion 32 and the sleeve 33 come into aline- Yment when the drum 6 has been pushed inwardly just described, which is illustrated in Fig. 2, the

cans are ready for the sterilizing or pasteurizing treatment For the sterilizing treatment it is assumed that the cans contain unsweetened evaporated milk. The function of the sterilization is to destroy the micro-organisms contained in the. milk which in time may prove deleterious to the milk. Now these micro-organisms can be destroyed at varying temperatures held for varying lengths of time. The lower the temperature employed the longer is the time required to destroy the micro-organisms, and conversely, the higher the temperature employed, the shorter will be the time required for thesterilization. In the former methods of sterilizing evaporated milk it has not been feasible to use the higher temperatures, say those ranging up to 260 F. because of the liability of cooking or scorching the casein and other solid contents of that portion of the milk in direct contact with the inner surfaces of the cans and thereby imparting a granular texture and the cooked taste to the milk which many people nd objectionable. According to the present invention, on the contrary, it is feasible to employ the higher ranges of sterilizing temperatures because no portions of the evaporated milk are in contact with the inner surfaces of the cans long enough to permit the casein and other solids of the milk to be cooked, and consequently, the objectionable cooked taste cannot be imparted to the milk. The range of speed at which the drum 6 and the cans held thereby may be rotated varies widely, but with satisfactory sterilization results at various speeds. For example, a speed of 200 to 300 revolutions perminute gives satisfactory results in sterilizing with temperatures up to about 248 F., whereas by employing speeds ranging up to about 1500 revolutions per minute a sterilizing temperature of 260 F. may be used, and the time required with such speeds and such temperatures for complete sterilization is not more than ve minutes, a period considerably less than that required at the present time employing sterilizing temperatures of from about 232 F. to about 248 F. The rate of reciprocation is preferably proportionate or comparable to the speed of rotation, and may range from about 25 reciprocations per minute to about 75 reciprocations per minute, and even higher.

Pasteurization of raw milk may be effected at temperatures of about 143 to 145 F., but at these temperatures the time required is about 30 minutes. If temperatures of about 160 to about 165 F. are employed satisfactory pasteurization can be effected in less than a minute. By imparting the centrifugal andreciprocatory movements to the raw milk according to the principles of the present invention a higher temperature than even 165 F.may be employed at a correspondingly reduced period required for effective pasteurization. i

Not only must the sterilization and pasteurizing bev effected so that all portions of the milk or other liquid are constantly brought momentarily into contact with the inner surfaces of the can so as to avoid imparting a cooked flavor thereto and so that a uniform smooth texture and natural taste will be present in all portions of the milk, but is also necessary for this latter result that the cooling of the milk or other fluid be effected under the same conditions. Accordingly, when the valve 2| is closed in the steam pipe l1, and the valve 22 is opened in the cold water pipe 23, the drum 6 continues to rotate, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, the reverse direction of rotation being periodic, and the reciprocatory mot-ion is also imparted to the drum and the cans held thereby while the cold water cools the contents of the cans down to the required degree, so that the cooling is effected uniformly throughout the contents of the cans.

that of natural milk. Raw canned milk pas-A teurized according to the present invention is almost if notl entirely free from the cooked avor now commonly noticed in pasteurized milk. By violently agitating the evaporated milk during the sterilization thereof, it is not necessary to shake the cans on the completion of the sterilizing treatment, which is the usual practice in the present commercial sterilizing methods.

We claimz- 1. An apparatus for treating liquids enclosed in cylindrical cans, comprising a stationary chamber provided with means for the passage there through of treating media such as heating and cooling fluids, a perforated cylindrical drum rotatably and slidably mounted in the chamber, the interior of said drum being provided through'- of groups of Wedge-shaped pieces pointing radially inwardly and adapted to engage with the edges of the rims of the cans so as to hold the cans rfirmly in and axially of the drum during the rotary and reciprocatory movements thereof, said drum being composed of a plurality of parts separated longitudinally, one of said parts having at each group of the series of wedge-shaped pieces a plurality of them so as to receive the cans during the charging of the drum with cans and support them until another section of the drum is brought down onto the first to hold the cans rmly in condition for treatment, and means for rotating the drum.

2. An apparatus for treating liquids enclosed in cylindrical cans, comprising a stationary chamber provided with means. for the passage therethrough of treating media such as heating and cooling fluids, a perforated cylindrical drum rotatably and slidably mounted in the chamber, the interior of said drum being provided throughout its length at uniform intervals with a series of groups of wedge-shaped pieces pointing radially inwardly and adapted to engage with *he yedges of' the rims of the cans so as to hold the contains a single Wedge-shaped piece, is brought down onto the first section to hold the cans rmly in position for treatment, and means for rotating and reciprocating the drum.

3. An `apparatus for treating liquids enclosed in cylindrical cans, comprising a stationary chamber provided with means for the passage therethrough of treating media such as heating and cooling fluids. a perforated cylindrical drum rotatably and sldably mounted in the chamber, means located in the interior of said drum for holding a series of cans at spaced intervals in the drum and in axial alinement therewith, and 5 means for rotating and reciprocating the drum.

WALTER PAGE.

BURT E. TAYLOR. 

